PANAJI, GOA – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in Goa, has registered a Regular Case against two senior officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Goa Circle, and two private contractors for allegedly rigging the tendering process to award dozens of government contracts in exchange for bribes .
The FIR, numbered RC0272026A0001, was filed on January 10, 2026, following a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) that uncovered serious irregularities in the award of contracts between 2022 and 2025 .
The Accused
The CBI has named the following individuals in the FIR :
- Mr. Chandrashekhar S. Yalawar & Mr. Shivanagouda S. Yalawar: Private contractors and brothers based in North Goa.
- Mr. Suddamalla Sreekanth Reddy: Senior Conservation Assistant, ASI Goa Circle .
- Mr. SK Md. Tausif: Former Conservation Assistant at ASI Goa, currently serving as a Junior Engineer in West Bengal .
- Unknown Public Servants and Private Persons.
Rigged Tendering: 69 Out of 71 Contracts
The investigation revealed a staggering level of monopoly and favoritism within the ASI Goa Circle. According to the CBI, out of 71 contracts and work orders awarded via e-tenders during the 2022-23 to 2024-25 period, 69 were awarded to the Yalawar brothers.
The FIR alleges that the ASI officials, who were members of the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC), showed undue favor by:
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- Excluding other eligible tenderers on flimsy grounds.
- Refusing to disqualify the Yalawar brothers even when they failed to meet mandatory technical bid requirements .
The Bribery Trail: Flight Tickets and GPay
The CBI has documented specific instances where the accused officials received “undue advantages” from the contractors while they were supervising their work and evaluating their bids .
- SK Md. Tausif: Allegedly obtained flight tickets for himself and his wife for travel from Goa to Kolkata worth ₹18,020, paid for using the contractor’s debit card in June 2023 . He also received ₹18,950 in two installments via GPay into his SBI account from the contractor .
- Sreekanth Reddy: Allegedly obtained a flight ticket from Goa to Bangalore in April 2024 worth ₹2,580, paid for by the contractor via a UPI transaction.
Legal Action and Sanction
The case has been registered under Sections 120-B of the IPC and 61(2) of the BNS, along with Sections 7, 8, and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. These sections cover criminal conspiracy, public servants obtaining undue advantage, and the bribing of public officials.
Official approval for the investigation against the ASI officials was granted by the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, on January 6, 2026, as mandated under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act . The investigation is being led by Inspector Sandeep Ramnath Haldanker.
